Multi-purpose knives have long been known, such as the popular and well known "Boy Scout knife" with its several knife blades, screwdriver, corkscrew, bottle opener, scissors and perhaps other tools all arranged in juxtaposition within a common housing when not in use. The tools and blades are pivotally connected to the ends of the housing, which must be of sufficient width to accomodate the desired number of juxtaposed tools and blades, sometimes resulting in a cumbersome and unwieldly structure. The selected tool or blade is conventionally removed from the housing by pivoting it relative to the housing until it extends at a desired angularity from the housing, at which point the tool or blade engages an abutment to prevent further relative movement of the tool or blade away from the housing. Pivotal movement of the blade or tool in the opposite direction returns it to the housing. Such a pivotal relation of the tools and blades to the housing renders the tools and blades inoperative when pressure is applied to them in a direction intended to return them to the housing.
The housing of the prior art multi-purpose knives is of channel-shaped configuration to receive the juxtaposed tools and blades and functions as a shank or handle of the elected and extended blade or tool. The housing is not shaped as a tool and does not function as a tool.